Memories
by Vengence-Angel2010
Summary: Renji's lost, Ichigo's drowning. Can they help eachother face their demons? Rated M for recurring adult themes, smut, drug use, and mild swearing. Chapter 6 now available.
1. Chapter 1

**Welcome to my first fanfic. Rated M for adult themes and will only get more adult as I go *nudgenudgewinkwink* I do not own Bleach or any of it's characters. **

Chapter 1 - More Lost than Won

Renji sat at his new desk in complete and utter shock. He'd made it. He had just been made 9th Devision Captain. The constant struggle to surpass his former captain, Byakuya Kuchiki, was at an end. To add to that, the fighting was at an end. Four weeks ago the incredible Kurosaki duo had ended Aizen's reign of terror. So the physical fighting was at an end as well.  
While he was insanely happy about all this, Renji just couldn't help feeling a little lost. He just didn't know what to do with himself. With no strong adversity to overcome, nothing to struggle against, no measuring stick to stand up against, he just didn't know what he was meant to do with himself.  
Renji placed his head on top of his folded arms, and willed himself to be calm. There's nothing wrong with a bit of peacefulness every once in a while, right? He thought to himself. He sighed, suddenly feeling inexplicably tired.  
It was still early evening, and the recent promotions of so many of his friends, had resulted in one giant congratulations party that would start in a few hours.

_Renji stood in the enclosed glade, still in his academy uniform. He was far from the seireitei, in the forests beyond the slums of the rukongai. Laying along a thick bough of a nearby tree, was the one he was looking for.  
A lean slender body, smooth white skin, long blonde hair falling like a waterfall down over the tree. Renji took a sharp intake of breath, and the pale blue eyes opened. Slowly, sinuously, the naked limbs moved, to bring the enticing body to stand upon the tree branch. With a flash step he could barely see, the exposed body was wrapped in Renji's arms, warm soft lips pressing against his.  
"Rikku..." he whispered into those lips.  
"Sshh. One day, it won't be my name coming from your lips. I'm only teaching you how to love, before you meet The One." The soft voice whispered back.  
"If you know so much, then spill the beans." Renji growled. Letting his hands travel down the willowy body, barely restraining himself from digging his nails into the soft flesh. The young woman laughed softly.  
"Because he hasn't been born yet."  
Before Renji could register what had been just said, the body in his arms changed. Taller, broader through the shoulders, well muscled arms replaced the slender willowy ones wrapped around his waist. A tickle from short hair, a flash of... orange?_

Renji woke with a start so bad, he practically launched himself out of his chair, landing on the floor with a thud.  
Ikkaku laughed out loud. Yumichika continued to brandish a long iridescent feather at Renji, tickling his nose with it.  
"You're late for your own party, you know." Ikkaku scoffed at Renji.  
"It's your party too, dumbass." He growled in response, while snatching the offending feather from Yumichika.  
"Gimme that back!" The slight man whinged, trying to grab the feather back from the red-head. Renji stood up, and handed the feather back with a distasteful expression.  
"You just don't appreciate pretty things Renji." Yumichika scolded, straightening out the crushed fibres of his peacock feather.  
Renji rolled his eyes. He was going to kill whoever had given the narcissist that damn thing. He'd probably be running around drunk all night, tickling everyone with it. And if anyone fought back, and broke the stupid thing, Yumichika would throw a tantrum like no one's business, and Ikkaku would start throwing punches at whoever had upset his lover. Sure, he was glad that his friends were finally comfortable enough to come out of the closet, but why did they have to get more annoying while they were at it? When he voiced this to Matsumoto, the bouncy brunette gave Renji an exasperated expression, saying, "It's called being happy. You should try it sometime," before wandering off in search of more sake, and probably someone less grumpy to talk to.  
In truth, he just really didn't feel like partying. Renji picked up the half empty bottle from the table in front of him, and headed out the door, un-noticed by the drunken revellers. As he stumbled along, Renji kept swigging from the bottle, finally falling ungracefully onto his backside in the graveyard.

"Ah Rukia." He sighed, "Whatever happened to us all?" The stone in front of him was impassive and un-answering as always.  
Renji had last seen his childhood friend in the battle with what they had thought was the tenth espada, only to realise too late that he was actually the strongest of them all. As the enemy had continued to grow in size, and the mismatch became more and more apparent, they had still tried, knowing Ichigo was the only one who could end the war. Renji had been rendered unconscious, buried under piles of rubble. He returned to consciousness four days later, in the 4th Division Emergency Relief station. The war was over, and Rukia was gone. Her internal injuries had been so massive; she'd been unable to continue her own life force. She'd died, crushed under the rubble, not ten feet away from Renji. Yet he'd been the one to survive, while she had not. The memorial stone he now sat in front of was the same one a shaking Hanatarou had half-carried Renji to, when he'd woken, and asked about his friends. Damn Byakuya, not even telling Renji himself about Rukia's death, and then denying him the chance to grieve. The funeral had completed mere hours before Renji had awoken, and the first thing his then-captain had said to him was about work.  
Renji hadn't even his favourite rival since he awoke. Ichigo had returned to the world of the living as soon as he was able, to deal with the situation there. From what he'd been told from others, Isshin's injuries were massive, and he had a less than twenty percent chance of recovering. Yuzu and Karin had escaped physically unscathed, but with the likelihood of losing their one remaining parent, they needed their older brother now more than anyone else did. Renji couldn't hold a grudge against Ichigo for not waiting for him to wake up, or even staying for Rukia's funeral.  
No one in soul society really knew what exactly had happened in the final moments of the war, as the only three surviving people from that last clash had returned to the material world, and one had been lingering on death's door for the past few weeks. The official version was that Isshin and Ichigo had defeated Aizen and his single remaining subordinate, Gin Ichimaru. What Orihime was doing there, no one knew. But it was widely assumed that she had been following Ichigo, as usual, and had been the one to heal the boy of his injuries, before fainting when she ran out of spiritual energy. If anyone wanted to probe deeper, they'd have to ask Ichigo, and apparently he wasn't talking. Orihime had been questioned too, but had just kept offering to make everyone food, and couldn't stay on topic. The poor girl, thought Renji, the war had probably scattered her brain even more than it already was.

"Whatre we gonna do, Zabimaru?" Renji slurred. Talking to his zanpacto out loud.  
_-Funny you only talk to me these days when you're stinkin' drunk.-_  
"shuddup and gimme your opinion." Renji replied, swaying dangerously as he changed how he was sitting.  
_-For now, the only battle is in your thick head.-_  
"Very cryptic of you." Renji muttered, losing his fight against gravity, and face-planting the ground.  
Renji's intoxicated mind wandered back to the dream he'd been having in his office, earlier that afternoon. He hadn't thought about Rikku Kira in decades. She was his friend Izuru's younger sister, so of course he'd never told anyone that he was sleeping with her. That girl was hot, he had to admit, though she did have a confusing sense of humour some time. Then one day, she disappeared. 'Withdrawn' was the official term, though everyone knew what that actually meant. He sometimes wondered why she'd been killed, but Kira didn't talk about it, and Renji wasn't about to poke his friend's emotional wounds. The weird thing about the dream was, that she'd never said anything so cryptic to Renji. On that particular day, they'd gotten straight to business, without a word said between them, so what was with the cryptic message? And the flash of orange?  
Renji's mind gave up trying decipher the dream. In its inebriated state all he could come up with was Orange juice, and that definitely was not anything to with the cryptic message. Unless whoever he was supposed to be with really, really liked orange juice?  
Not even moving, he began to snore.

Hisagi Shuuhei walked into the graveyard, knowing he'd find his new captain passed out there. His old friend had been doing that alot. The man didn't have any family in Soul Society anymore. Hinamori had died at the hands of, and in the arms of her childhood friend, the Captain of the 10th Division. Kira had long since stopped being himself, thanks to the baleful influence of Ichimaru. And now, Rukia had been taken permanently away. Shuuhei sighed, hoisting his unconscious captain onto his shoulder. He was sure it was quite a comical sight, considering how tall the Red haired man was, but with nothing else for it, he carried Renji back to his new quarters in the 9th Division Barracks.

**Please read and review. Or just wait until I've added a few more chapters :p (music: within temptation - somewhere)**


	2. Chapter 2

Something was burning through his eyes, right through the nerves and into his brain. Renji brought his hand to his face, and the burning abruptly stopped, though the pain in his head didn't. Damn sunlight, he grumbled to himself  
"Here." A voice stated, echoing through Renji's fuzzy and painful brain, while insistent hands pushed a cup into his grip. Obediently, he sat up and brought the cup to his lips, nearly gagging on the taste of the liquid that spilled down his throat. Slowly opening his eyes, Renji took in his surroundings. He was in his new quarters in the 9th barracks. There were boxes of his belongings stacked around the room, still waiting to be unpacked. Standing next to the captain's bed, was none other than his lieutenant. Shuuhei scowled down at him.  
"You know, this is becoming a far too common occurrence. Even before you became my captain, I was still finding you passed out drunk in the graveyard, then making sure you were up and moving so you wouldn't get your arse fired." The dark haired man grumbled.  
"Mm sorry..."  
"Forget it. You have a meeting with Captain Yamamoto this morning. Finish your drink and get cleaned up." And with that, he turned and walked out of the bedroom.  
Renji knew his old friend was worried about him, but without the sake he just couldn't sleep. He'd tried many times to sleep, but without the sweet, numbing effects of the alcohol, the dreams kept returning, and so did his tears. Pushing those thoughts aside, Renji dragged himself out of bed, swallowed down the last of the hang over remedy, and headed to the shower.  
Being summoned to the 1st Division Barracks would make just about any shinigami at least a little nervous, and Renji was no exception to that. He had no idea why the Head Captain wanted to see him, and neither did anyone else, it seemed. It was always an ominous sign when that happened. He waited at the front doors a surprisingly short time, before being invited inside, and directed to a smaller room to his left, instead of the large chamber where all the captains meetings were held. A small meeting, even worse, he thought. The officer politely bowed Renji through the door, and departed.  
"Head Captain Yamamoto." Renji bowed politely to his superior. The old man's arms were completely covered in bandages, and he sat in a wheelchair. An attendant from the 4th division stood inconspicuously at the back of the room, behind his prestigious charge. Although the Head Captain could no longer fight, he had not been relieved of his post. Months ago he had taken over the role of Central 46, and the new system seemed to work, so no one had seen need to change. After all, there was nothing wrong with the Head Captain's mind, and his experience was unrivalled.  
Renji took a look at the other occupants of the room. Soi Fon, the now one armed, Captain of the 2nd division scowled at an inoffensive spot on the floor; Ikkaku, having finally admitted to having achieved bankai to his superiors, had recently taken over the 5th Division captaincy, kicking and screaming the whole way, was leaning against the wall; Byakuya Kuchiki stood formally to the side, perfect posture and marble facial expression in place.

"Captain Abarai," The old man addressed him, "I have a task in the material world that you must complete."  
Renji stood still on the spot, watching his superior intently.  
"I believe that you are relatively close to one Ichigo Kurosaki." It wasn't a question. "I have been informed that the substitute shinigami is currently unable to fulfil his duties in the purification of hollows in Karakura. You are to take over his duties while he is indisposed."  
"What you mean 'indisposed'?" Renji asked suspiciously. He couldn't figure out what this task he was being assigned to have to do with the strange audience he was standing in the midst of.  
"Lady Yoruichi has passed information on to the 2nd Division captain regarding Kurosaki's condition." Well that explained Soi Fon's presence. "And it is the duty of Soul Society to continue to protect the living. I am giving this job to you as I have been informed by your former captain that you have a friendly relationship with the young man," That explained Kuchiki, "And so you have been selected for the task."  
"Okay. When do I leave?" Renji simply agreed. He didn't know what else to do, and maybe he wouldn't feel so lost anymore if he had an actual mission to occupy himself with. There remained a surprisingly large number of high level hollows wandering around, so there'd hopefully be some good hunting.  
"Told ya I didn't need to be here." Ikkaku grumbled, following Renji's easy acceptance. The red head shot a quizzical look at the bald captain, but the other wasn't forthcoming.  
"You will be leaving this evening. I suggest you attend to your division and prepare for your departure. "Yamamoto ordered, though not quite as stiffly as before. "You are dismissed Captain Abarai." Renji bowed respectfully and hurried to exit.

Tiredly, Renji completed the last of his paperwork for the day. One more signature and he'd be done. A knock sounded on the office door.  
"Come in." He called, signing the last document with a flourish that only the final piece of the day deserved.  
"Ikkaku." He greeted, as the bald shinigami closed the office door behind himself.  
"Ya know why I was at that meeting this morning?" Ikkaku asked, shrugging uncomfortably in his new white haori. Somehow, the more clothes you put on the guy, more his lack of hair stood out. Renji nearly laughed out loud at the thought, catching himself in time to avoid starting a fight.  
"Well, they wanted me to convince ya to go, if ya hadn't have agreed." He continued. "See, we all been worried about ya. And the higher ups didn't think you'd be willing to leave since ya sleep in the cemetery an' all." Renji sat in shock, wondering what was up with everyone.  
"I have to do my duty, Captain Maddarame." Renji spat. "And Rukia's dead and buried, so there's not much use in me sitting around here." Now even Ikkaku was in on the act of not letting him grieve in peace. Screw them all, he thought. His old friend sighed, shaking his head, and then left without another word.  
Renji placed his head in his hands, willing back the tears that threatened at the mere mention of Rukia. He tried distracting himself with thoughts about his upcoming mission. He wondered what the head captain had meant by 'indisposed'. Having not been told just made Renji mad. Anger he could deal with. So he fixed his mind on anger at the old man for withholding information, and he felt more himself, even if he didn't usually like scowling so much.  
He packed some clothes, picked up the guitar he'd brought back from the living world before the war, and headed for the senkaimon gate. There at the gate was Captain Kurotshuchi and his lieutenant, Nemu, seemingly to be waiting for him.  
"Captain?" Renji inquired, while Nemu quietly opened the gate, her usual expression of subservience fixed in place. Kurotshuchi ignored him, and walked through the gateway after his hell moth. The young captain rolled his eyes and followed.

Stepping out of the portal, Renji found himself in Urahara's basement training grounds. It looked like the place hadn't seen much action since Chad's training before the war. There was even dust on the senkaimon frame. It made Renji wonder just what had happened in the living world since the war. Wasn't Ichigo even training anymore? And what about Chad and Ishida?  
"Ahh, perfect timing!" Chimed Urahara, smiling in his all too knowing manner. "I just got out of the binding kido two hours ago. I really hope dear Soi Fon feels better now."  
"You remain a very unpleasant man, Kisuke." Kurotshuchi stated by way of greeting. Urahara merely fluttered his fan innocently.  
"I assume that you have my payment?" Urahara asked after a moment. Nemu reached into her robes and pulled out a glowing jewel on the end of a fine chain. The man in the hat delicately took the object from the lieutenant's hands, and held it up into the light.  
"Excellent. I assume everyone knows where they're going, and I don't have to show anyone the door." He placed the object into his pocket and turned to stroll away. "Oh, and Mister Freeloader, I haven't been able to get in contact with Kurosaki yet, so you should head over there." Renji bit his tongue to stop the retort he desperately wanted to lash out at the smug bastard with. Using that unwanted nickname in front of another captain was just plain rude. He turned his head, and saw that both Kurotshuchi's had already returned to the Soul Society. He turned and hurried to catch up with Urahara.  
Back in the shop, Renji replaced the trap door over the basement entry.  
"Hey Urahara, do I get a gigai?" The red haired captain asked.  
"Yes, yes. It's in the storage room where you left it." He older man replied absently, looking again into the 'payment' object he had been given.  
"And what is that?" Renji couldn't help asking. The question seemed to snap Urahara out of his reviere.  
"Being the sentimentalist that I am, the only payment I requested for my help in the war, was the return of my dear daughter's remains." He intoned innocently, "Now, off with you. I'm a busy man." With that, he hurried off to some other room in the back of the shop, leaving Renji to retrieve his gigai on his own.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 - A laughing matter**  
**Rated M for drug use.**  
**I do not own Bleach or it's characters.**

Karin stood in the doorway, leaning on the doorframe, with a scowl remarkably similar to her older brother's.  
"Is Ichigo home?" Renji asked the girl, wondering if the girl was going to let him in or just stand there all day. If she decided to not let him in, he could always just go jump in through Ichigo's window as he used to.  
"You're a shinigami, aren't you?" The girl asked, her eyes never wandering from Renji's face.  
"Yes..." The man was taken aback by Karin's perceptiveness. Just as Karin's scowl deepened, and it looked like she was about to slam the door, the other sister appeared.  
"Karin-chan, don't be so rude. You're a friend of Ichigo's aren't you?" The smaller, brown haired girl asked.  
"I am. Is Ichigo okay? I came to help him out." Renji turned his attention to Yuzu instead, as she seemed less inclined to kick him in the shins. Karin rolled her eyes, and walked off back into the house.  
"He's not okay really, but I'm sure he'll be glad to see you when he gets home from work." She smiled meekly, and motioned for Renji to enter the house.  
"Thank you." Renji muttered to the girl, before she turned and returned to the kitchen. He wondered what Yuzu had meant by Ichigo not being okay. He obviously wasn't badly injured, if he was currently at a place of employment, so he must be in a bad way psychologically. That wouldn't be too surprising, Renji thought, considering the teenager had fought a war, lost friends, and has never had anyone help him deal with the side effects of those situations. Renji placed his bag down in Ichigo's room, before coming back downstairs to talk to his friend's younger sister again.  
He sat at the kitchen table, just watching the girl for a minute, while she prepared dinner for the family. On closer inspection, Yuzu didn't look all that well herself. She had dark circles under her eyes, her posture was bowed, and she looked constantly on the verge of tears. The girl noticed the man watching, so stopped what she was doing, and sat down at the table across from him.  
"You're Renji, aren't you?" She shyly asked. Once the red head nodded in confirmation, she continued. "Ichigo talks about you abit. Well, actually when he does actually say anything, it's usually about you." A tear broke free and slowly traced down the small brunette's face. Renji reached across the table, and placed one of his hands over Yuzu's. She took this as encouragement, and continued.  
"Nii-sama hasn't been the same since he and Father got back. His eyes are dead; he screams in his sleep; doesn't see his friends. Dad..." she wiped at the tears now running freely down her face, "Daddy still hasn't woken up. That's why Ichi-nii's at work. He's trying so hard to make the money to keep the house and everything, but it's too much, on top of caring for Dad." Yuzu dissolved to sobbing uncontrollably, her head on her arms on the table. Renji got out of his chair, and kneeled next to the crying child. Without warning, she jumped in Renji's arms, and cried unashamedly into his shoulder. Momentarily taken by surprise, the man recovered, and wrapped his arms comfortingly around Yuzu.  
"I just wish one of them could go back to normal." She wailed between sobs. "You have to help him. You have to bring my brother back." Renji tightened his arms around the shaking girl.  
"That's what I'm here for. I'll do everything within my power to help Ichigo." He reassured her. "Now, why don't you go calm down for a bit while I take care of dinner, okay?" Yuzu nodded and they disengaged from the embrace. Renji thought he had seen enough tears. Soul Society was almost back to normal, but here the war wounds were still fresh. How he really just wanted a bottle of sake right now.

Once the girls had taken themselves off to bed, Renji snuck out to a liquor store. Returning with several sake bottles whose contents swished reassuringly as he placed them on the kitchen counter. After searching for a few minutes, he located a glass, and poured himself a drink.  
Halfway through his third glass, the lock on the front door clicked, opened, and in stumbled Ichigo. After shutting the door, the young substitute shinigami threw his keys down on the hall table, and looked intently at a sheath of papers there. Without even noticing the other shinigami's presence, he disappeared into the clinic that was attached to the family home. He returned a short time later with three small medical looking boxes in his hands.  
"Gah!" The young man exclaimed, dropping the boxes as he ran straight into Renji's chest.  
"Hi Ichigo." Renji greeted, putting on a cheerful face.  
"R-Renji?" Ichigo peered at the older man with tired brown eyes. "Is it really you?"  
"Of course it's really me." He replied gruffly.  
"What are you doing here?" The teen asked, bending to pick up the dropped boxes.  
"Checkin' up on you, of course." Renji smiled.  
Ichigo scowled. "I don't need anyone checking up on me."  
"Oh okay. And I'm guessing those things you're holding are for your Dad too, huh?"  
"Piss off. You're one to be talking, when your breath smells like a sake bottle." Ichigo shot back. Renji grudgingly gave the young man that one.  
"It just helps me sleep, okay." Ichigo defended.  
"Yeah, well I guess you're too young to be buyin' your own booze." Renjji teased. "Come on, I'll share with you." Ichigo shrugged, and followed his old friend into the kitchen.

Both men were getting quite drunk, when Renji excused himself to stumble to the bathroom. That was the only problem with drinking; he thought to himself, it makes you have to pee all the time. He returned to the kitchen, to find his drinking buddy missing. Spinning and nearly tripping himself over, he went in search of the orange haired man.  
"Oi Ichi, where are ya?" He slurred.  
"Sssshhhhh. You'll wake the girls." A voice giggled from the direction of the living room. Ichigo, giggling? Now that was weird.  
He finally found the one he was searching for, laying on the couch, giggling to himself, with what looked like a green flute held between his lips.  
"What'n hell's that?" Renji cleared his throat, and concentrated on not slurring. "I mean, what is that thing?"  
"Penthrox whistle." Ichigo answered faintly, before dissolving into another fit of giggles.  
"A what?" Renji asked. The answer from the other had made no sense to him at all.  
"You know, you sounded happier when you were slurring." Ichigo stated, suddenly sitting up, and thrusting the green object into Renji's face. "You need to be happier."  
"I think I'll stick to my sake, thanks." He said distastefully, pushing the object away from his face.  
"Well get your sake. I'd go to the sake if I could get up." Ichigo giggled again. Renji watched as his friend brought the object back up to his face, and sucked on the mouthpiece, his eyes rolling back in his head. Whatever this stuff was that could make the normally sombre Ichigo giggle like a little school girl, Renji wanted no part in it. He staggered to the kitchen and brought back a bottle of sake. He didn't bother with a glass anymore, and took a swig straight from the bottle as soon as he was seated next to the barely coherent teenager. Ichigo was giggling again.  
"What's so funny?" Renji asked.  
"Everything!" Ichigo stage whispered, rolling onto his side so he could look the shinigami in the face. He then began giggling helplessly again, falling off the couch, and face first into Renji's lap.  
"You smell like Renji." He stated happily, his eyes unfocussed and crossed. The red head laughed at the sight.  
"Are you saying I smell?" He asked, pretending to be affronted.  
"Yes, but not bad. You just smell like you." Ichigo muttered, bringing the whistle back up to his lips and taking a deep breath through it.  
"I didn't know I had a smell." Renji muttered, taking another swig of sake. The conversation continued on like that for the best part of the evening, Renji becoming rowdier, as he drank, and Ichigo becoming more paralytic as he finished his first whistle, and started on the second.  
"You... You know what?" Renji suddenly asked his giggling friend. "You're high!"  
"An... A-and you're drunk!" Ichigo squeaked in reply. At that, they both fell down laughing.  
"I can't believe you just squeaked!" Renji laughed. Ichigo was laughing so much he couldn't reply. In fact, he was so far gone; he didn't even notice he was drooling all over the carpet. When he did, it only made him laugh even harder. Renji finally calmed down enough to sit up and take another drink from his rapidly emptying sake bottle. He tried to stand up to collect another bottle from the kitchen, but couldn't find his feet, so decided standing up wasn't a good idea. Ichigo finally managed to sit himself back up, only to fall back down again, this time facing his friend.  
"Whatcha doin'?" He asked, eyes still crossed and unfocussed.  
"I'm outta sake." Renji put on a fake sad face. Trying to make puppy-dog eyes while drunk was not easy.  
"Oooo!" The younger exclaimed. "Crawling race!" Somehow that made perfect sense, and the two tried to crawl to the kitchen. Ichigo fell, sprawling on his stomach halfway through the doorway, leaving only Renji to make it to the table. Sitting against a table leg with a new bottle in his hand, Renji cast his eyes over to where his friend was rolling on the floor, giggling helplessly.  
"Ah, why do you do this to yourself?" He asked the shinigami substitute.  
"It makes everything funny." Ichigo happily exclaimed to the ceiling, "The nightmares, the blood, the tombstones..." He managed to answer before being taken over by another fit of giggles.  
"Tombstones!" He wheezed in between his laughter.  
"Poor messed-up little Ichi." Renji muttered to himself, as the other continued to laugh helplessly.  
Eventually they both passed out right there on the kitchen floor. Renji awoke when Ichigo started moving around early in the morning, but fell asleep again as the other staggered out of the room. With blurry eyes he caught a glimpse of Ichigo wearing a work uniform, heading out the door, before slipping back into sleep.  
"Poor messed-up little Ichi." He murmured quietly as his eyes closed again.

**Two chapters on two days. If you're enjoying this, you owe me more Coke Zero :p**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 - Sleeping on the Floor**

There were cold little toes digging into Renji's ribs, and he jumped awake with a shout. It was still early morning, and Karin was standing over him, scowling.  
"Yeah, great idea Yuzu. This loser's just as bad as Ichigo, if not worse." She muttered to herself, before turning her attention back to the man on the floor.  
"Clean this mess up." She ordered, before stalking back out of the room. Wordlessly, Renji complied. He put the one remaining sake bottle in a high cupboard, and cleared up the empty ones. He also removed the evidence of Ichigo's new vice.  
Maybe Karin was right, and he really was just as bad as his friend, despite being decades more experienced with death. Renji's thoughts continued with this solemn track as he showered. He was sent to help Ichigo, not join him in drowning. Though that wasn't completely true, he'd been sent to deal with the hollows the substitute wasn't dealing with; helping Ichigo was just something he'd decided to do. Decided after seeing the pain in little Yuzu's eyes. Renji sighed, and got out of the shower.  
Halfway through breakfast with the twins, the soul page started beeping. Renji looked up guiltily from his meal.  
"Go." Was all the dark haired girl said, looking straight into the shinigami's eyes. Without a second thought, he leapt out of his gigai, and out of the open kitchen window. The gigai fell, face first into the abandoned plate. Karin and Yuzu looked at each other briefly, before giggling at the Renji-body. There was probably scrambled egg up its nose.

_-Yes! Some action! -_ Zabimaru cried in Renji's head as he drew the zanpakutou. Silently, Renji agreed. There had been more upper-level hollows breaking through, both in the material world and in Soul Society, thanks to Aizen's baleful influence. There were also a small number of ex-Espada still loose in Heuco Mundo, but as yet they hadn't done anything other than hide. The creature the young captain was faced with at this time was massive, with three spidery looking legs, and a mask that looked almost like a donkey. To be perfectly honest, it was one of the silliest looking hollows he'd ever seen. Renji had been about to laugh, when he found out that those skinny legs moved exceptionally fast. He soon also found out that removing one of those legs didn't slow the creature down in the slightest. He continued whipping out Zabimaru, trying to get around the creature's fast movements, and slice the masked head open. It took several more attempts, and a large cut to his right calf, before the hollow was defeated. Sweating, dripping blood, and shaking from exhaustion, he returned to the Kurosaki residence.  
"You're dripping blood all over the carpet!" Karin hissed by way of greeting.  
"Renji-nii!" Yuzu squealed in anguish, rushing forward and taking one of Renji's arms. "I'll patch you up, okay."  
"Renji-nii?" Karin snorted at her sister, but still helped direct the man into the clinic. As Yuzu bustled around, collecting antiseptics, bandages, and several other items, Renji turned to her twin, who wasn't doing much besides standing there scowling.  
"Why don't you just call Orihime?" He asked.  
"You and Ichigo haven't really talked yet, have you?" She snapped back in response. Renji shook his head.  
"Well, no. We were just getting re-acquainted yesterday. We haven't seen each other in weeks, and I wasn't going to just walk up and say 'hey spill your guts'." He argued back.  
"Orihime has lost all her powers. And her mind." Karin stated. "Ichigo won't tell anyone how, or why. So maybe you should be more direct, rather than just joining him in denial-land." Renji didn't know what to say to that, and he simply stared at the girl, open mouthed.  
"There. All done." Yuzu regained both of their attentions. Renji cautiously moved his leg, only to find that it hardly hurt at all anymore.  
"Wow. Thanks for that!" He said to the small brunette. The girl blushed and muttered a 'you're welcome' before hurrying out. Karin rolled her eyes and followed her sister.  
There were another two hollow attacks that afternoon. Though he didn't get any further injuries, the last one did take a lot of time, before Renji was able to vanquish the ugly thing. By the time he crawled back through Ichigo's bedroom window and pick up his gigai off the floor where he'd left it, the clock showed that it was nearly midnight. He rubbed his nose at the smell of scrambled eggs, as he headed downstairs to find if Ichigo was home yet or not.  
Renji vaulted himself over the couch, grabbing the box his orange haired friend had been trying to open.  
"Hey!" Ichigo cried indignantly, his addiction having been removed from his hands.  
"Unless you're intending to open that for me, I suggest you give it back." He threatened.  
"No." Renji responded. "I come back from doing your job, and you're just sitting here, trying to get high."  
"Shut up and give that back. I've got work in the morning." The young man complained.  
"Exactly!" Renji retorted.  
"It helps me sleep. I thought I told you that yesterday." Ichigo defended, now trying to make a grab for the small box. Renji used his height advantage to keep it out of Ichigo's reach.  
"Why don't we both try sleeping without help?" Renji finally suggested, sensing that it'd turn into a brawl if he couldn't distract his friend from trying to get his hands back on the whistle.  
Giving up, Ichigo stopped attacking his friend, and turned away. He muttered a constant string of curses under his breath as he headed up the stairs into his room, and pulled a space futon out of his closet. A couple of pillows and a blanket joined the futon on the floor, before the young man stripped out of his outer clothes and hopped into his bed. He turned to look at the other shinigami when he heard the other rummaging around back in his closet.  
"What?" Renji questioned. "I like a bit more space." He placed a second futon next to the first, making a larger sleeping space for himself. Ichigo rolled his eyes, and rolled back to face the wall. Renji settled in his now comfortably sized bed, and adjusted his pillows. Ichigo sighed at the others continued fidgeting, but said nothing more.  
The first to suffer nightmares was Ichigo. His distressed reiatsu woke Renji, who, in turn, woke Ichigo, before the nightmare could take hold. The talked briefly about terrible memories, Ichigo having his heart ripped out of his chest, then finding that he'd impaled Ishida with Zangetsu. Ichigo tried not to cry, even though his friend assured him it was both normal and necessary. When they both lay back down to go back to sleep, Renji grumbled to himself about the young man's stubbornness.  
Next it was Renji's turn to suffer through old and terrible memories. Years of training meant that he woke himself up shortly after his own distressed reiatsu woke Ichigo. Renji let a few tears fall, before starting on some breathing exercises. While his friend didn't say anything, he hoped that the young substitute was taking note.  
Renji had only just gotten back to sleep when Ichigo's distressed energies woke him again. He really didn't want to have to wake the teen again. Desperately needing sleep, he stood and picked up the young man from the bed, surprised by how light Ichigo really was. He deposited him on one of the futons, and lay down on the other. Holding Ichigo's shaking form close, Renji formed his reiatsu into calming patterns. Ichigo's energies instantly picked up on the older man's, and wound themselves into the pattern, slowing and calming. Ichigo's shaking stopped, and he unconsciously snuggled closer to the warm body beside him. Renji sighed tiredly, and drifted back to sleep. Waking up cuddled up to Renji was a bit weird, but he had got more sleep then he had in weeks. Ichigo scowled his way through his day job at the cafe, trying to decide which was the lesser of two evils.  
The following night, Ichigo waited until Renji was asleep, then got up and curled into the other man's embrace. Although both suffered from terrible memories, neither was woken by them that night.

**A shorter chapter, but oh well, that's just how it came out. Thankyou to my three reviewers so far: Maru de Kusanagi, Metallic efekt, and RogueSama. You keep me motivated. I promise to have Chapter 5 done tomorrow, just for you. :-D**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 – Something In Your mouth**

Renji woke, wondering why it was that he couldn't move. He opened his eyes to find that Ichigo had joined him on the floor some time during the night. In sleep, the teen just looked so vulnerable. And absolutely edible, Renji thought to himself. Whoever would have thought that tough Ichigo was so cuddly? He was curled up to Renji's chest, both hands clutching tightly to his shirt, using one of the older man's arms as a pillow. And drooling on him, Renji noticed.  
Although he was thoroughly enjoying the close proximity, it brought to his attention something rather worrying. Ichigo was far too thin. He must not have been eating much. Come to think about it, he hadn't seen the boy eat a meal yet. He'd always been at work, or had one of those damn green sticks in his mouth. Not that Ichigo didn't look good with something in his mouth, Renji smirked to himself. But really, the kid did need to take better care of himself. The pile of papers on the hall stand was actually Ichigo's work rosters, so the red head knew that he had a later start today, and was going to make sure Ichigo ate breakfast right in front of him.  
Renji's musings and admiring was interrupted by movement from the boy in his arms. He feigned sleep so as to not embarrass the head-strong teenager. He figured he might suffer a beating if Ichigo realised someone had seen him showing any sign of vulnerability. First thing in the morning was not a good time to talk about these sorts of things anyway.  
Ichigo woke, seeing his friend still asleep, gently extracted himself from the other's embrace, quietly leaving the room, heading for the shower.

True to his word, Renji sat and made sure Ichigo ate some breakfast, though that turned out to be a rather long process. The teenager was much more inclined to just play with his food, seeming to enjoy the texture of the toast on his lips and tongue, rather than actually wanting to consume it. But under the red head's stern gaze, he eventually ate most of two pieces of toast, leaving only a few sections of dry crust. The pair spent a little time just watching TV in the lounge room. Renji still found the TV an unending source of fascination, no matter how many times he'd watched one before at the Urahara Shoten.  
With the girls playing in their room, and he and Ichigo sitting in the lounge, to Renji the house just seemed so quiet and peaceful.  
"Hey, where's Kon?" He asked, suddenly realising why the place was so quiet.  
"Oh yeah, he lives at the Shoten now." Ichigo replied, his usual frown easing slightly, "Urahara gave him a body, and so he moved out of here, and works for him. Running errands into Soul Society and such, since Urahara can't go himself."  
"Oh okay, I was wondering why it was so quiet around here." The young captain mused. Ichigo laughed.  
"Yeah. It gets really noisy when he visits with Ururu and Jinta though." He smiled a little at the memory. Renji studied his friend, drinking in the sight of a less stressed Ichigo, where he actually looked close to his sixteen years. Spending his sixteenth birthday fighting Espada in Heuco Mundo seemed to have aged the boy, as one could rightly expect.  
"Well, I gotta get ready for work." Ichigo pulled himself out the memory, eyes falling on the clock on the wall, frown returning.

Later that afternoon, Renji went with the twins to the local hospital to visit Isshin. Although the man still hadn't woken up, his children still make regular visits, hoping that their voices and presence might help him in his recovery. Yuzu had insisted that Renji accompany them, since their older brother was at work. He was sure that they'd made the trip by themselves before, and he was just being used as a security blanket by the sensitive young girl. He really didn't mind that at all. He felt useful and needed, almost like he had a reason for being there. What made it even better was the fact that Karin even seemed to appreciate his presence, and allowed herself to hold one of his hands as they pushed through the crowds at the bus interchange.  
In the hospital, in the private room Isshin had, Renji was shocked and strangely disturbed by what he saw. The man on the bed had wires for monitoring equipment everywhere, a drip going into his right hand, and only one leg. Worse than that was his pasty complexion, hollow features and obviously wasting muscle on what would have been a well built frame. Although he had only ever seen Isshin Kurosaki from a distance and in a gigai, he knew the man had once been a captain of the 13 Court Guard Squads. A strong man, worthy of respect.  
"They had to cut off his leg when it got trapped in the Koryu current, bringing him back. If they hadn't he would have been swallowed up by it." Karin informed him. Yuzu was sitting next to the bed, holding her father's hand and crying. Even Karin looked like she was barely holding back tears.  
Renji just didn't know what to do. It was obviously a family thing, but the two girls were hurting so much. He couldn't decide if he should leave the room to give them some privacy, or go hold the girls close, giving them something, someone, to hold on to, while they didn't have anyone else.  
In a surprising move, Yuzu made the choice for him, reaching back and grabbing his arm, pulling the young man to kneel next to her. She cried onto Renji's shoulder, while still holding onto her father's limp left hand. Even Karin leaned against him, still sniffling, trying to hold back her tears.  
While Renji would not have left the two girls alone in their pain for any reason, not even for all the money in the world, nor all the sake, he didn't know how long he could hold onto his sanity. He felt like he was drowning.

Ichigo stumbled in the door, close to midnight again. Renji was still tense from the hospital visit, and a good long hollow purging had done little to relieve his feelings. That damn Aizen had made everything just so, so wrong.  
He curtailed some of his murderous feelings by making his friend eat. Even if it was just a banana. As he watched, Renji couldn't help noticing again how good the teen looked, the banana in between those lips. Great, he thought to himself, now I'm frustrated as well. Zabimaru laughed in his head. He rolled his eyes at the zanpakutou. When he heard giggling, Renji left the cleaning of the kitchen, hunting down the crazy teenager the sound belonged to. He found Ichigo up in his room. How he had managed to get into and out of the clinic, and up to his bedroom so fast was anyone's guess. When he entered the room, Ichigo jumped up off his bed, and right up close to the older man, the green whistle held loosely between his teeth.  
"Hi there." He giggled. The orange haired boy took a long breath through the medical device, falling against his friend as the acute effects hit.  
"Wanna suck?" He mumbled, looking up at Renji through half-closed eyes. At those words, Renji felt his throat constrict, and heat start to pool in his groin. He knew Ichigo had no idea what he was saying and doing at the moment, but damn did it turn him on. Renji had never really denied having feelings for Ichigo, once he had gotten over hating him. That bankai training had been the real eye opener for him. Seeing all that determination in training; that strong, yet lean body working so hard; he'd been completely won over in those few days.  
Now was not the time to find out which way Ichigo was swinging though. He was high as a kite, and didn't seem to have any ability to notice much of what was going on around him. Renji carefully removed the whistle from Ichigo's mouth, and placed it down on the dresser. Carefully steering the weak kneed boy down onto the futon's on the floor, he tucked them both in with one of the light blankets. Free of his inhibitions, the teen wriggled around until he was pressed tight up against Renji. "Renji," He giggled, "You've got a hard on. Did I do that?" Renji chuckled, tightening his arms around the boy's slim waist.  
"Oh yeah. You have no idea how good you look with things in your mouth." He murmured quietly. Lying was not something Renji had ever made a habit of.  
"I'll suck a lollipop for you tomorrow." Ichigo giggled faintly, sleep taking hold. Renji did his best to get to sleep, without letting his thoughts wander to what else Ichigo could put in his mouth.

**OoOoOo Let's start with some sexiness to break up all the angst and torment. Let me know what you think about this latest installment :-)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry It's taken me a while to update. Little bit longer chapter. Catalyst (pt 2) coming soon. Reviews encourage me to write quicker. :p**

Chapter 6 - Catalyst (pt 1)

_Renji stood back in the clearing, wearing his blue and white academy uniform. Rikku was stretched out along the thick tree branch in all her naked glory, she stood, flash stepped, and then there was a body in his arms. It wasn't the girl anymore, it was someone even better.  
He looked down into warm chocolate eyes, peering through a fringe of bright orange. He smiled to the naked young man, as a slender arm reached up behind his neck, pulling his head closer. Renji leaned in; let his lips meet the warm ones belonging to the boy. A gentle tongue brushed his lower lip, asking entrance. He opened his mouth to meet the waiting tongue. His body reacted to the touches, tightening his arms around the lean masculine frame, running his hands along well developed back muscles, tight obliques, and sharp hip bones. The orange haired youth moaned softly, leaning into the caresses. Slim fingers slid under Renji's uniform; while the teen's other hand skilfully untied the sash at his waist. The material was pushed off his scarred shoulders, falling to the ground to expose the shinigami to the waist. Freed of some of his restraining clothing, Renji disengaged from the youth's lips, turning his attention to the slim neck. There he licked, nibbled and sucked on the firm skin, taking in the taste that was nothing like the boy's namesake, but just as addictive. Moans and gasps came from the young man's mouth, as he moved his head, allowing better access to the sensitive skin. Renji ran his hands lower, fingers digging into firm, tight buttocks, bringing their hips closer, grinding erections together.  
"Ichigo." Renji moaned._

There was a sharp pain in his ribs, and Renji sat bolt upright, awake in an instant. Beside him, Ichigo was coughing, as he tried to teach his lungs what oxygen was again.  
"Trying to strangle me in your dreams or something?" The young man asked his friend, scowling blackly.  
"Ah no, not strangling." The red head admitted, his trademark smirk returning as his mind rehashed the details of his dream.  
"Right." Ichigo replied warily, pulling the blanket off himself, and hurrying to get ready for work.  
"Eat some breakfast." Renji called after the retreating teen.  
Humming happily, he lay back on the futon fully intending to go back to sleep. No sooner had he closed his eyes, than the soul pager began beeping.  
"Stupid fucking hollows." He growled to himself, jumping out of his gigai, leaving it wrapped in the blankets on the floor. Without further ado, Renji leaped out of the window.

Flash stepping from rooftop to rooftop, the shinigami followed the pull of a strong, vaguely familiar reiatsu, emanating from the other side of Karakura town. Arrancar, he thought. From inside his head, Zabimaru voiced his agreement. The closer he got, the stronger the reiatsu became. He ran the last suburban block, turned the corner simultaneously drawing and releasing his Zanpakutou, ready to face the powerful foe.  
Renji stopped in his tracks. There, sitting in the middle of an empty street, looking thoroughly bewildered and lost, was Nel.  
Nel, the child form ex-espada that Ichigo had befriended in Heuco Mundo, was sitting lost, by herself, in the middle of a suburban street, in the world of the living. Renji nearly dropped Zabimaru in shock. The girl's wide, astonished eyes finally fell on the shocked shinigami.  
"Ithigo's friend!" She cried, leaping and attaching herself to Renji's shihaksho.  
"N-nel?" He stuttered, frozen in place, unable to believe his eyes.  
"Where's Ithigo?" The child-espada asked, not relinquishing her grip on Renji's top.  
"A-at work." He stammered, struggling desperately to get his head around the turn of events. One minute he was gearing up for an epic battle with an arrancar, and the next he was being hugged and asked about his substitute shinigami friend by a lisping child.  
"Whath's work?" She asked, turning confused grey eyes on the man she had attached herself to.  
"Ah, don't worry." Renji responded, finally reigning in his erratic brain cells. "How about we go meet another friend of Ichigo's until he gets back, okay?"  
"Yay! Another friend of Ithigo's!" The girl chirped happily. Without even pausing, Zabimaru still in his right hand, Renji spun around, and flash stepped as fast as he could towards the Urahara Shoten. Since he didn't know what to do, hopefully the ex-captain slash mad-scientist would. He couldn't kill the girl, she had helped and defended Ichigo; besides, who could slaughter a child who couldn't even fight back. Even if she had at one time been one of the most powerful beings in Heuco Mundo, she wouldn't even pose a threat to a soggy pancake these days.  
"It's rude to not even knock, Captain Abarai." Urahara scolded him, as he dashed headlong into the shop.  
"That wath fun. Do it again." Nel cried, once the shinigami had ceased moving. Renji struggled to regain his breath after his mad sprint.  
"You have an espada attached to your shirt, did you know?" The shop owner calmly asked, smirking behind his fan.  
"I know that." Renji snapped. "What do I do with it?"  
"You're a captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, and you don't know how to deal with a hollow?" Urahara teased.  
"You idiot, this is Nel, an ex-espada that Ichigo befriended." The red head snapped.  
" There's no need to be even ruder. Of course I know that." The blonde man responded. Renji's eyes went wide.  
"You don't expect me to hurt her, do you? She's harmless." He exclaimed.  
"Of course not, I was merely teasing you." Urahara smirked, folding up his fan. He approached Renji slowly, looking intently at the small arrancar. Nel's eyes widened in fear, and she gripped tighter onto Renji's uniform as the man approached her.  
"Are you Ithigo's friend?" She squeaked.  
"Indeed I am. You must be Nel." He pushed his hat away from his eyes, and smiled at the girl. "Would you like a candy?" He pulled a small orange coloured sweet from one of his coat pockets, holding it out to the girl.  
"C-Candy?" She asked, unsure of what to do. She looked to Renji for guidance.  
"Take it." He urged her. "Put it in your mouth."  
Looking back to the proffered treat, she gently removed it from the exiled shinigami's fingers, and gingerly placed it on her tongue. The second the sweet taste filled her mouth, her cautious eyes lit up with happiness, and she leaped onto Urahara.  
"Candy!" She cried out happily. "Do you have more?"  
"Of course. Of course." He assured her, pulling another brightly coloured sweet from his pocket. The arrancar child took it, stuffing it into her mouth greedily.  
Freed from Nel's stranglehold, Renji noticed the audience they had acquired. Tessai stood like a statue in the corner, Jinta, Ururu, and a young man, not much older than Ichigo, who he didn't recognise, peered through the open doorway.  
"Hey Freeloader!" Jinta piped up, grinning at the re-appearance of the one he secretly idolised. Renji rolled his eyes and pretended he hadn't heard the smaller red head.  
"Kon, why don't you go collect Ichigo?" Urahara addressed the mod soul, without turning away from the small arrancar. Without a word, the one Renji hadn't recognised ducked out of the door, flashing the shinigami a cheeky smirk, that somehow reminded him of the plushie Kon used to reside in.  
"Did you know that Kon still keeps his old body?" Urahara laughed, "Just don't tell him I told you. He thinks it's a secret still." The perverted old shop keeper smiled mischievously, Ururu and Jinta giggled, and Nel started searching Uruhara's pockets for more candy.

Renji took another drink of the tea that Tessai had poured, while they all sat around Urahara's table, waiting for Kon to return with Ichigo. He hoped that seeing Nel alive and well would make his friend happy, maybe even lessen some of the stress the boy had put on himself. No one had ever expected Ichigo to rescue Rukia and Orihime, much less save his own world and Soul Society from destruction. And yet, he'd done it anyway, and better than anyone could have ever imagined. That boy needed to let go sometimes, he quietly mused, it was impossible to save everyone. But he still had to admire Ichigo's strength of will for even trying, when anyone else would have given before even starting.  
Renji's thoughts were interrupted as Kon sidled quietly into the room. He exchanged a brief nod with Urahara, and then sat himself down next to the red haired captain.  
"How's the new body?" He asks the mod soul, who immediately launches into a story about how great it is to have a permanent body, and the barely dressed girls at the gym he's taken to going to. He can see why these gym girls would be noticing Kon. His body was young, muscular, even if he was just shy of average in height, with nearly black coloured eyes, and soft looking, wavy brown hair. Actually, he looked like he could almost be Yuzu's cousin. Yuzu's rather attractive cousin. Damn sexy Ichigo, and his sexy family.  
"But really, he is pretty damn good looking too. I mean, while the hot girls are best, a bit of variety doesn't hurt." Kon finished.  
Urahara smirked behind his fan, Ururu giggled, and Renji spat out his mouthful of tea. That was not something he had ever expected to come out of the mouth of the skirt-chasing mod soul. Kon just smirked at the shinigami captain's expression. Still giggling, Ururu wiped the spit and tea off the table. Once a more normal topic of conversation had been established, Renji refilled his cup, wondering when Ichigo would arrive at the Shoten from his work.

He stared distastefully at the plate he was preparing for the customer. All those years of helping Yuzu learn to cook had definitely come in handy, but this was really one of the most annoying and messy dishes they had on the menu. It's for my sisters, it's for my sisters, he silently repeated over and over to himself as he handled the raw and bloody meat. It was taking all of Ichigo's control to not simultaneously puke and have a panic attack. Raw meat just reminded him so much of everything he didn't want to think about. Yuzu, Karin, Dad, this is for them, he reminded himself. Suppressing a shudder, and the increasing urge to gag, he completed to preparation of the beef, and in turn placed the dish onto the counter that separated the kitchen from the rest of the cafe. He took a steadying breath, washed his hands with excruciating thoroughness, and took a drink from the can of energy drink he had hidden under the working counter. Lately, the caffeine was about the only thing that could keep him going. From standing in a kitchen all day, to standing behind a bar almost all night, he needed the high doses of sugar and stimulant to keep him going. Without his jobs, his sisters would starve, and his father would be unceremoniously dumped from the Quincy's hospital.  
Ichigo's musings, and cooking, were interrupted by a familiar voice, asking one of the waitresses if they could have a quick word with him. What one earth was Kon doing, wanting to talk to him while he was at work? Wiping sauce off his hands, he exited the kitchen; to see the smiling mod-soul standing next to the serving bar, looking utterly relaxed, eyes darting to glance at one of the girls' short uniform skirt. Irritated, Ichigo clicked his fingers in front of the other's face.  
"What's up Kon? Why are you bugging me at work?" He scowled.  
"What, after how nice I am to you, you still can't muster up even a friendly 'hi Kon, how are you'?" The shorter male whined, grinning mischievously. Ichigo did not take the bait. Instead he simply waited for the other to deliver the message he was obviously sent for.  
"Alright." Kon assented, "Can you get off early today? You need to come over to Urahara's."  
"No, but my shift's nearly up anyway. And why?" The orange head asked suspiciously.  
"Someone's turned up you need to see." The brunette evasively answered.  
"No thanks." Ichigo retorted, "I've had enough of weird people turning up, with Renji deciding to turn up in my living room the other day."  
"Oh please?" Kon pleased, looking as though he had just been refused a great treat. "I'll owe you one." The teen raised one eyebrow.  
"One what?" He prodded. The mod soul scowled for a second, making up his mind.  
"One of your favourites." He finally decided. "No cost. You'll probably be really wanting it after anyway."  
"That bad, huh?"  
"No, but you're under enough pressure dealing with the Freeloader being here." Kon answered cryptically. Before Ichigo could enquire further, the mod soul hitched his grin back in place and dashed out the door, pinching the rear of the short-skirted waitress on his way. Ichigo, just then, was glad that he no longer had to entrust his body to the little pervert. He no doubt got his body into some pretty compromising situations in the past. At least he now only got himself in trouble with his antics. Urahara should have known giving Kon a good looking body would only encourage the mod soul's pervertedness.  
"Birds of a feather," He muttered to himself, returning to his work.


End file.
